Hog-type broiler feeder



Au 11, 1964 w. WQROBINSON, JR; ET AL HOG-TYPE BROILER FEEDER Filed Jan. 4. 1962 w my 3 0 am m ma a Mw W United States Patent 3,144,001 HOG-TYPE BROILER FEEDER William W. Robinson, (in, Signal Mountain, and Dempsie C. Camp, Dunlap, Tenn., assignors to Cumberland Case Company, Chattanooga, Tenn, a corporation of Tennessee Filed Jan. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 164,263 6 Claims. (Cl. 119-53) This invention relates generally to an improved broiler feeder, and more particularly, relates to an improved construction of adjustably mounting a hopper above a plurality of feed troughs in order to feed a large number of chickens at any one time.

Various structures have been employed in the past wherein the open hopper was mounted above a feeding means but these never fully satisfied the problems involved in adjusting the hopper relative to the feeding means.

By mean of the present invention the side walls of the hopper may be constructed of an extremely thin sheet material which by itself would not have sufiicient strength to carry the load of the feed contained within. A plurality of uniquely formed bracket members are connected to the side walls of the feed troughs and extend from one side wall to the other. These are placed in generally equally spaced locations along the length of the feed troughs and the hopper is provided with a pair of depending flanges which are received in engaging contact by the bracket members. Adjustment means is provided for raising and lowering the hopper relative to the feed troughs, and at all times, the bracket members engage the flanges of the hopper to hold it steady and to prevent bulging thereof when filled with chicken feed.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to i Still another object of the invention is the provision of an improved broiler feeder having at least one lower feed trough and a feed hopper and means supporting said feed hopper in a position above and spaced from said lower trough which is easily and inexpensively manufactured.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting the height of the feed hopper relative to at least one feed trough and support means for the feed hopper which will prevent bulging of the side walls thereof and aid in its support at all positions of adjustment.

Other and further objects of this invention will become more apparent in the more complete description which follows which is accompanied by the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the parts throughout.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the broiler feeder which comprises the basis of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view, in section, taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view indicating more clearly the bracket supporting means which are in one piece as employed in the present invention.

With the intent of more particularly describing the invention, reference is now made to the drawings in which the broiler feeder of the present invention is generally indicated at 10. The feeder 10 includes a pair of lower feed troughs 12 and a hopper 14 which is positioned directly above and centrally of the lower feed troughs. It is understood that the feeder 10 may be made as long as is practical or desirable under any given conditions.

The base of the hopper 14 and the trough 12 are constructed of relatively light gauge material, for example steel or aluminum. For purposes of economy as well as ease of manufacture, the sheet material is so light that the long side wall portions are not able to maintain their own dimensional stability without the aid of suitable bracing of the type provided herein.

The lower troughs 12 have a pair of generally vertically disposed end walls 18 and a pair of upwardly diverging side walls 20 terminating at an upper rim 22. The troughs 12 are further defined by the bottom members 21 and the raised V-shaped ridge member 23 which extends the length of the feeder 10 and which is equally spaced from each of the side walls 20.

The hopper 14 includes a generally vertically disposed pair of end walls 24 and a pair of downwardly converging side walls 26 which terminate in downwardly directed flange members 28 defining an opening generally indicated at 29 which passes through the lower end of the hopper 14 for substantially the entire length thereof.

A bracket member 30 is most clearly'shown in FIG- URE 3 and, as is indicated in FIGURE 2, and a number of these located at spaced intervals along the length of the feeder serve as substantially rigid supports for the hopper 14 above the lower troughs 12. The central portion of the bracket member 30 is formed into an inverted V- shaped ridge, as indicated at 32, which is congruently fitted with the upper surface of the ridge 23 formed in the bottom surface of the feeder 10 and separating the feed trough 12 from the hopper 14.

Extending outwardly from the V-shaped ridge 32 are a pair of substantially horizontal fiat portions 34 which terminate at a pair of vertically disposed portions 36. The extremities 38 of the bracket member 30 are fastened to the upper rims 22 of the lower trough means by any suitable means such as bolts (as shown) or by welding, and the central ridge 32 of the bracket member rests upon the ridge 23 formed at the bottom of the feeder 10.

As most clearly seen in FIGURE 2, the lower ends of the flange members 28 rest upon the upper surfaces of the horizontal portions 34 to support the hopper 14 a predetermined distance above the lower troughs 12.

The bracket 30 maintains the side walls 20 at a spaced distance from each other and prevents bulging of the side walls when the trough is filled with feed as well as collapse of the side walls when feed is absent. Similarly, the brackets 30 prevent spreading of the lower sides 26 adjacent the flange members 28 when feed is inserted within the hopper member.

As can be readily appreciated, when feed is placed in the hopper 14 it finds its way through the opening generally indicated at 29 into the lower feed troughs. The movement of the feed is appreciably aided by means of the inverted V-shaped ridge 23 formed at the bottom of the feed trough 12 and serves to direct the feed outwardly of the central portions of the trough. In broiler feeders such as the one in the present disclosure, it is desirable that the height of the hopper 14 be adjusted relative to the broiler feed trough 12. This would allow an increased amount of feed to pass into the lower trough thereby maintaining a greater feed depth therein. In order to provide this adjustment, a pair of spaced apart holes 40 are formed in the end members 18 of the trough 12. Similarly, two pairs of spaced apart holes 42 are formed in the end members or walls 24 of the hopper 14, one pair of such holes being vertically spaced relative to the other. The holes 40 and 42 of the ends 18 and 24, respectively, of the trough members and of the hopper cooperate to receive a pair of bolts 44 which extend therethrough to hold the hopper in spaced relation above the trough members. It should be apparent that the hopper may be raised or lowered relative to the trough members and secured by means of the bolts 44 in their raised or lowered position. Throughout the process of raising and lowering of the hopper, flange members 28 at all times engage the side portions 36 of the bracket members 30 sliding therein, so as to prevent bulging of the feed hopper adjacent its lower end. At the same time, it is apparent that the brackets do not interference to any appreciable degree with the flow of feed from the hopper into the trough below.

The design which has been disclosed herein provides a superior broiler feeder employing light gauge materials in its construction. By employing the principles of this invention it is possible to supply feed to the chickens by means of a device which is sturdy, but of relatively inexpensive construction. Then also, the hopper of the disclosed improved feeder is adjustable relative to the troughs to permit a greater or a smaller amount of feed to pass into the lower trough from the upper hopper. At all times, the bracket support means engages the lower flanges of the feed hopper to prevent bulging and deformation thereof, but allowing complete freedom of hopper adjustment.

An important feature of this invention is the integral, i.e., one piece supporting bracket shown in FIGURE 3 and as many of these brackets 30 are positioned in spaced relation along the length of the trough as desired, as shown in FIGURE 1, in combination with the end adjustment, i.e., vertical adjustment provided by the cooperating holes 40, 42 and bolts 44.

While the form of apparatus described herein constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus but that various changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A poultry feeder comprising in combination at least one lower feed trough having integral end walls and upwardly diverging side walls, a feeding hopper having integral end walls and upwardly diverging side walls defining a discharge opening at their lower portions, said feeding hopper being spaced above and overlying said lower feed trough, means for adjusting the height of said feed hopper relative to said lower feed trough, and bracket means formed of a single piece of material extending transversely of said lower feed trough from one side wall thereof to the other side wall thereof and connected thereto, said bracket means also underlying and slidingly engaging the side walls of said feeding hopper at their lower portions so that said bracket means maintains the spaced relationship between the side walls of said lower feed trough and the side walls of said feeding hopper throughout adjustment of said feeding hopper.

2. A poultry feeder as defined in claim 1 wherein said lower feed trough has an inverted longitudinally extending V-shaped ridge formed in the bottom thereof; and wherein said bracket means has, intermediate the ends thereof, an inverted V-shaped portion formed congruently with said ridge and adapted to rest in engaging relation thereon.

3. A poultry feeder as defined in claim 1 wherein the width of said lower feed trough is substantially equal to the width of said feeding hopper.

4. A poutry feeder'as defined in claim 1 wherein said bracket means are located at spaced intervals along the length of said feed trough.

5. A poultry feeder as defined in claim 1 wherein said bracket means includes vertically upstanding retaining means adapted to slidingly engage the side walls of the feeding means at their lower portions throughout the vertical adjustment of the feeding hopper.

6. A poultry feeder comprising in combination at least one lower feed trough having integral end walls and upwardly diverging side walls, a vertically adjustable feeding hopper having integral end walls and upwardly diverging side walls, support means op'eratively engaging the end walls of said lower feed trough and the end walls of said feeding hopper so as to support said feeding hopper in vertically adjustable spaced relation above and overlying said lower feed trough with the lowermost portions of the sidewalls of said feeding hopper being spaced laterally inwardly of the side walls of said lower feed trough so that said feeding hopper is in operative feed supplying communication with said lower feed trough, bracket means located intermediate the end walls of said lower feed trough and formed of a single piece of material, said bracket means extending transversely of said lower feed trough from one side wall thereof to the other side References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,431,472 Liggett Oct. 10, 1922 1,774,947 Rowley Sept. 2, 1930 2,607,318 Collier et al Aug. 19, 1932 2,735,401 Diseker Feb. 21, 1956 2,849,982 Diseker Sept. 2, 1958 2,906,241 Brouwer Sept. 29, 1959 

1. A POULTRY FEEDER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AT LEAST ONE LOWER FEED TROUGH HAVING INTEGRAL END WALLS AND UPWARDLY DIVERGING SIDE WALLS, A FEEDING HOPPER HAVING INTEGRAL END WALLS AND UPWARDLY DIVERGING SIDE WALLS DEFINING A DISCHARGE OPENING AT THEIR LOWER PORTIONS, SAID FEEDING HOPPER BEING SPACED ABOVE AND OVERLYING SAID LOWER FEED TROUGH, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF SAID FEED HOPPER RELATIVE TO SAID LOWER FEED TROUGH, AND BRACKET MEANS FORMED OF A SINGLE PIECE OF MATERIAL EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID LOWER FEED TROUGH FROM ONE SIDE WALL THEREOF TO THE OTHER SIDE WALL THEREOF AND CONNECTED THERETO, SAID BRACKET MEANS ALSO UNDERLYING AND SLIDINGLY ENGAGING THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID FEEDING HOPPER AT THEIR LOWER PORTIONS SO THAT SAID BRACKET MEANS MAINTAINS THE SPACED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID LOWER FEED TROUGH AND THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID FEEDING HOPPER THROUGHOUT ADJUSTMENT OF SAID FEEDING HOPPER. 